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Dave Scherbenco / For The Citizens' Voice
Wilkes-Barre Councilman Tony George said the committee to investigate LAG Towing's practices met for the first time last week, six months after the panel was formed.

WILKES-BARRE - An FBI probe of Wilkes-Barre police dealings with the city's embattled towing contractor, coupled with the ensuing public scrutiny, has generated tension and division inside the department.

Uncertainty about where the probe will lead and a constant barrage of rumors are making the cops' difficult jobs even more stressful, some officers say.

The FBI in early February seized undisclosed police records relating to towing contractor Leo Glodzik, whose exclusive deal with the city is in jeopardy amid allegations of price gouging and improper record keeping.

Some officers are also under fire for borrowing luxury cars from Glodzik, owner of LAG Towing on Carey Avenue. Critics of the administration of Mayor Tom Leighton question the cozy relationship those officers have with Glodzik and are pushing for the federal probe to expand.

Wilkes-Barre Councilman Tony George, the city's former police chief, says he's heard the issue has created a sharp divide among officers.

"Some of the guys are upset because it makes it look like the whole department is doing something like that, and those aren't the facts," said George, who has called for the administration to sever ties with Glodzik. "It doesn't look good. The perception is lousy. It makes everyone look like they are on the take."

Multiple city police officers, in private conversations with The Citizens' Voice, acknowledged a sometimes tense atmosphere at work since the federal investigation launched, but most declined to elaborate. Any issues or problems, they said, should remain behind the walls of the police station and be ironed out internally. A few officers maintained the controversies are overblown, the criticisms are unwarranted and the rumors are manufactured and false.

"No crimes were committed or policies broken. There are a lot of rumors out there," said one officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to speak to the media. "Maybe the truth will surface. There are a lot of other cops, both active and retired, running their mouth. I guess people forgot to look in their own closets."

The officer noted the media and public scrutiny could cause officers to lose focus, which could jeopardize public safety.

"All of this negative attention with the police department can potentially hurt an officer," the officer said. "When we are making split-second decisions, we cannot afford to have in the back of our minds, 'What is the paper going to say, or who is going to write about you or calling radio shows?'"

Despite the FBI subpoena for police records pertaining to LAG Towing, the leader of the union representing city police said he is unaware of any subpoenas issued to individual officers.

"I am not aware of any of our officers being subpoenaed or being called to testify. None of our officers have come to the union to say they need union representation," said Officer Tom Kupetz, president of the Wilkes-Barre Police Benevolent Association. "Most of the rumors are just that, rumors. I tried to get to the bottom of a lot of these rumors. I believe most of it is coming from outside (the department). There are a lot of critics of the administration and unfortunately a lot of it is coming down on our members."

Glodzik said Friday he has yet to be contacted by federal officials.

"I don't know anything about any investigation," Glodzik said in a telephone interview. "If so, they haven't contacted me."

Amanda Endy, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, declined to comment on the status of the federal investigation.

Glodzik's LAG Towing has held an exclusive towing contract with the city since 2005. His company pays a $50,050 annual fee to remove illegally parked cars from city property and clear traffic accidents.

Glodzik's tenure has been marred with controversies, including a resisting arrest conviction, citizen complaints of price gouging, failure to keep adequate records and claims the company has charged auto theft victims to retrieve their stolen cars in violation of his city contract.

George called for Glodzik's contract to be terminated in July 2012 and finally received the support of city council in January.

But the lone person with the power to end the contract is Leighton, who has accepted more than $10,000 in campaign contributions from Glodzik. Following council's recommendation, the mayor launched an internal review, saying he and other city officials will review complaints before deciding how to proceed. The internal probe continues, a city spokesman said Friday. At recent city council meetings, citizens have accused the mayor of dragging his feet with the investigation.

After word surfaced last month that Glodzik loaned luxury vehicles to several police officers, Wilkes-Barre police Chief Gerard Dessoye questioned their judgment because of the controversy surrounding the company. However, after discussing the issue with the police union, Dessoye said he didn't think he could forbid the practice unless he could prove the loan of the vehicle was a reward for a favor an officer did for Glodzik.

Department policy prohibits officers from accepting "awards, gratuities, or any article of value as payment for favors or services rendered or anticipated in connection with his official duties unless approved by the Chief of Police or Mayor."

"What it came down to was they were borrowing cars off someone who was a friend - it wasn't as a police officer and a tow truck driver in a business relationship. The relationship was as a friend," Kupetz explained. "The perception was worse than the reality."

Glodzik insists the vehicle loans were not meant to influence.

"Any vehicles loaned out were loaned out to friends and there was nothing illegal about it," Glodzik said. "I didn't do it to get anything in return."

George and city councilman Bill Barrett, who is also a former police chief, said they would not have allowed cops to borrow vehicles from Glodzik because he works so closely with the police department. Any tension caused by the controversy is not good for the effectiveness of police department, both said.

Barrett said being a police officer is a stressful occupation, and if the department is the center of negative attention, it just adds onto the stress. He recalled several internal situations during his tenure as chief in which people were suspended and demoted. He said internal controversy will affect the way the department operates.

"It sometimes affects the cohesiveness of the department," Barrett said. "It detracts from the mission of the department, it sends it off in a different direction. It can be damaging externally and internally."

He said time usually solves these woes, but it's the chief's job to lead the department and make it clear what is expected of officers.

"It's very important that the leaders in the department set an example to follow. To say this is where we are going and to set the direction the department is going," Barrett said. "Sometimes it requires corrective action, and I'm sure the department is going through that constantly. I'm sure there's constant corrective action. There was when I was there and I'm sure there's always going to be."

"The chief regularly maintains communication with the leadership of the police union and no one has expressed that there is a morale problem of any significant nature," McLaughlin said.

Kupetz also downplayed any internal turmoil and assured citizens the officers are working hard to serve the city, despite the force being reduced to 80 officers, down from 91 a few years ago.

"Most of our guys right now are pretty tight. We realize a lot of this is nonsense. As a union, we stand together," Kupetz said. "Our guys are still going out there giving it their all."

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2055

chong@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2052W-B police chief

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